


I'm Home

by yikes_my_face



Series: (Un)Related One-shots [4]
Category: Free!
Genre: (Kinda but not really all that detailed), Adoption, Angst, Character Death, First Time, Fluff, Growing Up, It's gonna be kinda sad but with a happy ending, Marriage, Memory Loss, Please dont kill me, Sex, Through the Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:23:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5924958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikes_my_face/pseuds/yikes_my_face
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They meet when they're less than a year old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I know, you're probably thinking, "Sage! Update that SouHaru fic you started!" I know, I know, please don't throw things at me. I just want the next chapter to be perfect. 
> 
> So here is a little MakoHaru to tide you over! It's gonna be kinda sad, but that's just my general writing style. Enjoy! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Free! or any of the characters. If I did, I wouldn't have made that lame tide pun earlier.

They meet when they're less than a year old.

Nanase Haruka is ten months old and Tachibana is five months old. The Tachibana's have recently moved into the neighborhood from the city, thinking the more rural town of Iwatobi would be a better environment to raise their son in. 

Tachibana Yuki is sweeping the front walkway with Makoto in a baby seat in the shade. It is a beautiful day out. There are no signs of rain, and there is a cool breeze drifting through the air. However, Makoto has been fussy the past few days, and it's not long before the cries of the infant are caught in the wind. 

"Oh, Mako-chan, what's the matter?" Yuki sighes, lifting him out of the carrier and into her arms. She rocks him and hums to him, but it seems that nothing is working. 

Yuki is about to go inside when Makoto's crying stops abruptly. He's looking at something with the most concentrated look a five month old could possibly have. She turns and sees a woman that has long dark hair holding her own child at the beginning of the walkway to the Tachibana home. 

"Good morning!" Yuki calls, a kind look on her face. "Can I help you?" 

The other woman smiles. "We noticed that you're new to the neighborhood and we wanted to welcome you." 

Yuki is about to respond when Makoto reaches out to the other child. He whimpers slightly when he cannot reach. She sighs slightly and walks over to the neighbor and her child. 

"I'm Tachibana Yuki, and this is my son, Makoto." Yuki introduces, Makoto blinking and shying away slightly when he notices how close to these strangers he is. 

"I'm Nanase Natsumi. My husband and I live with my mother-in-law just up the stairs. This is my son, Haruka. Say hello, Haruka." Natsumi looks down at her son. Haruka looks at them for a moment before reaching out to Makoto. Natsumi looks shocked. 

"He's usually never this friendly with anyone," she explains, "He usually only wants his grandmother." 

The two mothers put their sons down on the grass, and Haruka crawls towards Makoto. Makoto smiles and giggles, babbling away. Haruka doesn't make a sound, but seems pleased anyway. 

Yuki chuckles. "Looks like they're content. Would you like something to drink?" 

Natsumi looks fondly at the boys. "Yes, thank you." 

They're less than a year old when Makoto first reaches out his hand to Haruka. 

 

* * *

 

They're five years old when they start school. Their mothers have signed them up to attend the local school, and Haruka and Makoto have been placed in the same class. Haruka is bummed about having to go to school. He would much rather stay home and play with Makoto and Granny rather than be with boring people all day. 

However, Makoto is extremly nervous. He hasn't exactly socialized with children other than Haruka, and he's scared these new people are going to be mean. He doesn't like mean people. 

Haruka knows Makoto is scared, so he holds his friends hand as they enter the school. Natsumi and Yuki hug their sons goodbye before leaving, and Haruka sees Makoto clam up even more. He and Makoto sit down together at one of the tables and begin to color with the paper and crayons that are there. 

They've only been drawing for about five minutes before another boy comes up to their table and looks at their papers. "What are you drawing?" he asks Makoto. 

"It's a dolphin." Makoto says shyly, voice soft. The paper has a lot of blue lines and rounded shapes, but it's pretty good in Haruka's opinion.

The new boy scrunches up his face. "It doesn't look like a dolphin." 

Makoto looks sad. Haruka doesn't like it when Makoto is sad. 

"I think it looks like a dolphin." Haruka says before looking back at his own drawing. 

The boy shrugs and goes off to play with the toy cars in the other corner.

Makoto smiles. "Thanks, Haru-chan!" 

Haruka shrugs, but he decides he likes Makoto's smile. 

They're five years old when Haruka decides he's going to protect Makoto from all the meanies in the world. 

 

* * *

 

They're seven years old when they decide to join the swim club. 

Haruka wasn't going to at first, but he hated seeing the dissapointed frown on Makoto's face. Their parents ageed to enroll them in swimming lessons, and it's their first day at the pool. Makoto is nervous, but Haruka is more anxious to get into the water. 

He doesn't know when his love of water exactly started, but Granny says he's always like it. When he was a baby, he would always throw a fit when bath time was over. 

He's excited to swim, not only because of the water, but because he gets to swim with Makoto as well. He's hoping to share his love of water with Makoto. 

When he's in the water, he's at peace. He's swimming with even breaths like their instructor had told them to, and he's focusing on feeling the water, silently asking it to accept Makoto as it has accepted him. 

When he gets back to the starting block, he's shocked to find a hand there waiting for him. He looks up and sees Makoto's smiling face. 

"You really are the best in the water, Haru-chan!" 

Haruka blushes slightly and looks away. "I don't know what you're talking about. It's just swimming." he mumbles, taking Makoto's hand and getting out of the pool.

After practice, They stop by the front desk when one of the employees calls them over. 

"Did you boys have fun today?" the man asks. 

"Yeah!" Makoto smiles cheerfully. Haruka looks at the man for a moment before looking away. "Haru-chan says he had fun too." Makoto answers for him. 

The man smiles at them. "You boys must be pretty close. Here, pick one!" he says, pointing at the small keychains hanging before them. "It's a new member bonus." 

Both Makoto and Haruka reach for the dolphin at the same time, and stop with a small, "Oh!" 

The man sighes slightly. "Ah, that one is really popular. That's the last one we have. Here, you can do rock, paper, sissors to figure it out. Ready? Rock, paper, sissors,-" 

Makoto reaches out and takes the clownfish. "I'll take this one." He says. 

Haruka frowns. "But you liked the other one!" he protests. 

Makoto looks at the clownfish. "I like this one too." He says with a smile. He takes the dolphin off the rack and holds it out to Haruka. "Here, Haru-chan!" 

They're seven years old when Makoto starts making sacrifices for Haruka, but he doesn't mind. He'd do anything for Haruka. 

 

* * *

 

They're eight years old when they become big brothers. 

Makoto runs to his house on the eighteenth of April and knocks on the door. Haruka's grandmother answers the door. 

"Hello, Makoto-chan," she smiles. 

"Hello, Grandma Nanase!" he smiles, slightly out of breath from running so fast. "Is Haru-chan here?" 

"Yes, he's just out back." she answers. 

Makoto bows before running to the back yard of the Nanase home. "HARU-CHAN!" he cries. 

Haruka looks up, alarmed. "Makoto?" 

Makoto is grinning. "Mom had the twins! Want to come with me and Dad to the hospital?" he invites. 

Haruka's eyes widen. "Sure. Let me ask Granny first." 

Haruka's grandmother allows him to go, and sends them with two small baby blankets she and Natsumi had sewed for the expected Tachibana children. 

Tachibana Koji smiles when he sees his eldest return with his best friend. "Are you boys ready to go?" 

"Yep!" Makoto cheerfully replies and Haruka nods. 

When they get to Yuki's hospital room, Makoto suddenly becomes as quiet as Haruka. His mother is holding two small bundles, one wrapped in pink and the other in blue. 

Yuki smiles. "Hello boys. Come, meet Ran and Ren." 

Koji ushers the boys closer, and Makoto lets out a small gasp. 

"They're so tiny!" he whispers, eyes wide and full of amazement. 

"You were this small once." Yuki giggles. "Would you like to hold one of them?" 

Makoto nods earnestly, and Yuki helps instruct him how to position his arms. "This is your little sister, Ran." 

Makoto smiles down at his sister. "Hi Ran! I'm your big brother Makoto!" 

Haruka watches from his standing spot until Yuki calls him over. "Haruka, would you like to hold Ren?" 

Haruka moves over to the bed and holds his arms like he sees Makoto doing. 

Ren is smaller than Ran. There are small tufts of brown hair on the baby's head, and Haruka's breath is stollen away when his pointer finger is grabbed by a tiny hand. He feels an extreme sense of pride and protection wash over him, and he suddenly understands why Makoto was so exctied to tell him that he was going to be a big brother. 

Koji takes a picture of the boys holding the new additions to the family. 

They're eight years old when Makoto becomes a  big brother, and when Haruka becomes an honorary Tachibana and big brother. 

 

* * *

 

 

They're nine years old when Makoto becomes afraid of the ocean. 

The two children watch as the men dressed in white travel in a line down the harbor, and Makoto clings to Haruka's shirt tightly. He's scared, scared the ocean will take Haruka away too. 

They're nine years old when Haruka starts walking on the side closest to the ocean on the way to school. He doesn't want Makoto to have to be too close to the thing he fears the most. 

(It doesn't hurt that he gets to look at it closer on the way too school an on the way back.) 

 

* * *

 

They're eleven years old when Matsuoka Rin came flying like a cannon ball into their lives. 

The redheaded boy seems insistant on becoming friends with them, Haruka especially. Sometimes Makoto feels a little left out, but he doesn't let it get to him often. He likes getting to know the other boy, and despite Haruka's constant eye rolling at Rin's antics, he knows Haruka feels the same. 

Rin joins their class at school and their class at the swim club. Hazuki-kun seems amazed at the way Rin and Haruka swim together and looks up to them as well as Makoto. He even trained hard enough so that he won the time trials for breaststroke, so now he is going to be in the relay with Rin, Haruka, and Makoto. 

A few days before the tournament, Rin tells them he's going to Austrailia. Makoto can understand why, but he's sad that Rin is only telling them now. Haruka seems annoyed. He doesn't like sudden changes. 

They win the tournament, and Rin leaves them as quickly as he came. 

They're eleven years old when Rin crashes into their lives, and Makoto is left to handle the damage control once the dust clears. 

 

* * *

 

They're twelve when Haruka's grandmother dies. 

Makoto doesn't know how to make it better. 

Haruka hasn't spoken in days. He won't even speak to Makoto. 

He doesn't cry at her funeral. 

He doesn't cry when his parents tell him that they're moving to Tokyo without him. 

He doesn't cry when he sets up a small shrine for his grandmother. 

The night Haruka's parents leave, Makoto stays over at Haruka's. He brings a few games and movies for them to enjoy, and brings a package of mackerel that his mother had picked up and asked him to bring over. 

He knocks on the door and smiles when Haruka answers it. "Hello, Haru-chan!" 

"Drop the -chan." Haruka mumbles before letting Makoto in. 

Makoto hands the mackerel to Haruka. "My mom asked me to bring this over." 

"Thanks." Haruka says, putting it in the fridge. 

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Makoto asks. 

"Sure." 

They watch Finding Nemo. They know it's a kids movie, but Haruka likes how detailed the ocean looks in it. They don't talk much, and when it's time for bed, they share Haruka's bed, just like they have since they were small. 

It's only when Makoto wraps his arms around Haruka that the older boy begins to cry. 

He cries for his grandmother, he cries for his sadness, for his anger, for his loneliness, for his feeling of being unwanted and left behind. He's holding on to Makoto as if he lets him go, he'll dissapear. His hands are balled into fists against Makoto's chest as he clings to the taller boys shirt, and he sobs into the fabric. 

Makoto hold him, he holds him tightly and promises to never let go. He's sad about Grandma Nanase. He's upset with Haruka's parents for leaving so soon after her death. He knows that this will follow Haruka for the rest of his life. 

They're twelve when Makoto decides to never leave Haruka's side. He promises to never abandon him. 

 

* * *

 

They're thirteen when Haruka quits the swim team. 

He never tells Makoto why, but Makoto quit about a week after Haruka did. It wasn't fun without Haruka. 

The two now spend their afternoons doing homework together and playing with the twins. Makoto knows something is wrong, but he'll let Haruka take his time and decide when to talk about it. He won't push. 

For now, he'll just be willing to wait. He'll always wait for Haruka. 

 

* * *

 

They're sixteen when they start the swim club again. 

Nagisa hurled back into their lives, and Makoto was glad for it. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed the younger, and Haruka seemed to still have a soft spot for the boy. 

Rin comes back into their lives, but he's so much colder. Makoto doesn't know how he feels about him now. He's said the most horrible things, and he wonders what exactly happened between Haruka and Rin. 

They meet Rei and teach him how to swim. A space in Haruka's heart seems to opem up for Rei. Makoto doesn't completely understand how Rei manged it so easily, but he's glad for it. He's glad Haruka is allowing other people into their little world. 

They have the training camp, and Makoto's fear of the ocean is still there. He misses his fisherman friend. He had died not long after Grandma Nanase had. He still was sad about it, but he felt so much braver in the ocean when he was with his friends. 

They don't place in their individual events at prefectuals, and Makoto is furious with Rin, even if he doesn't show it. Haruka has abandonment issues, that much is clear to Makoto. So by saying he'd never swim with Haruka again, Rin has torn Haruka's world apart once more, leaving Makoto to clean up his mess again. 

He waits at Haruka's house. The elder boy still hasn't returned and he's worried. He doesn't know what Haruka was doing. He was too unpredictable these days. He ends up falling asleep, only to be woken up by Haruka saying he would swim in the relay. 

They place in the relay, and the team prepares for regionals. Makoto is happy that he's going to swim a relay with everyone again. 

Rin ends up swimming in Rei's place at regionals, and whilst they got disqualified for this, it felt so good to swim with everyone in a relay, like they had as children. 

They're sixteen when Makoto realizes he's in love with Haruka. He always has been.

 

* * *

 

They're seventeen when the subject of university is heard more often than not. 

Makoto still has no idea what he wants to do, and neither does Haruka. They're not lucky like Rin, who has known what he wants to do since he was small. 

They train harder than ever. Haruka seems more distant, which worries Makoto. He can't help if Haruka won't talk to him. 

Makoto isn't sure what he thinks of Yamazaki Sousuke. He seems decent enough, but Haruka doesn't seem to trust him, which sets off some warning bells in Makoto's mind. 

Somehow, they get by, but despite evrything, Makoto is still hopelessly in love with Haruka. With his eyes, his voice, his swimming, his everything, Makoto can't seem to get enough, and he's scared that if he says anything, he will lose Haruka forever. 

Shigino Kisumi enters their life again when Makoto helps out Coach Sasabe at the swim club. Makoto likes Kisumi well enough, but Haruka doesn't. They didn't seem to hit it off in middle school either, so Makoto doesn't push very hard in trying to get the two to talk. 

Makoto decides after those few weeks of training the children what he wants to do. 

The night he plans to tell Haruka everything, they have their first fight. 

Haruka is right. Makoto does meddle, but it's only because he cares. He lets Haruka go. He knows he's the last person the elder boy wants to see. 

He calls Rin for help. 

After Rin's trip with Haruka to Austrailia, Haruka seems to smile more, to talk more, and seems less stressed. Makoto is glad. He's just sad that Rin could help Haruka when he couldn't. 

The team places sixth in the relays at nationals, and everything seems right in the world. Makoto and Haruka study hard for exams, and both get into the same university. They plan to get an apartment together about ten minutes from their school, so they won't be apart after all. 

Makoto confesses his feelings for Haruka the night of their graduation. 

He tells Haruka he loves him, and he's pretty sure he always has. Haruka is silent before he leans up and kisses Makoto softly, and Makoto nearly cries tears of joy. 

"So, a one bedroom apartment then?" Haruka says once they break apart. 

Makoto grins. 

They're seventeen when even things can't seem to get better than this. 

 

* * *

 

They're twenty-three when they graduate university. Makoto goes on to teach swimming at a swim club about two hours out of Iwatobi. He and Haruka end up buying an apartment there, and Haruka goes on to be on Japan's national swim team. 

Makoto is proud of Haruka. He's so, so proud. 

They're also twenty-three the first time they have sex. 

Makoto is unsure at first, but soon enough, he warms up to the idea. They take it slow, Makoto on top of Haruka. They kiss and whisper sweet-nothings to each other as their bodies join together. When they finish, Makoto falls down to lay next to Haruka. He pulls the smaller man closer and holds him, gently pressing kisses into his hair every now and again. 

"Makoto?" 

"Haru?" 

"I love you." 

"I love you too, Haru-chan. What's this about?" 

Haruka rolled over on his side to face Makoto. "Will you marry me?" 

"Haru?!" 

"Makoto, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me?" 

Makoto is silent before he kisses Haruka sweetly. "Yes. I will marry you, Haruka." 

They're twenty-three when they get engaged, and Makoto is sure that he must have done something right to earn Haruka. 

 

* * *

 

 

They're twenty-four when they get married. 

It's a civil union, to be politically correct, but to them, it was a true wedding. 

The event was a small one, only close family and friends. 

(Makoto thinks that Haruka is the most beautiful he's ever seen on that day.) 

Haruka and Makoto decided to use Makoto's last name, so on the tenth of March, Tachibana Makoto and Nanase Haruka become Tachibana Makoto and Tachibana Haruka. 

They're twenty-four years old when they share everything. A name, a home, a bed, and their hearts.

 

* * *

 

They're thirty-two when they become parents. 

They've been married for eight years, and after winning two gold medals in the Olympics, Haruka decided to retire from swimming. They'd talked about adoption in the past, and now that Haruka planned to be a stay at home parent, they decide it's the perfect time. 

The couple complete the nessesary paperwork and interviews, and now, they are going through the process. There is a teenage girl who is pregnant with twins, but she didn't want to abort. They meet with her and the social worker, and then Tachibana Makoto and Tachibana Haruka are the expectant parents of two. 

It was May when the babies are born. It is a pair of boys, which they name Madoka and Toru. Toru is the elder twin, and is a lot bigger than Madoka. Madoka hadn't been breathing at birth, but the doctors are able to save him. Toru has light blue-green eyes, and Madoka's are almost ocean like, like Haruka's. These children are the most beautiful they had ever seen, and Makoto cries the first time he holds his son. Haruka sheds a tear too, but he doesn't tell Makoto that. 

The girl is allowed to visit, and Makoto and Haruka offer her a babysitting job. She declines, saying she might visit in the future, but for now, she would let them be the parents, not just the men who happened to adopt her boys. 

They're thirty-two when their small world gets a little bit brighter. 

 

* * *

 

They're eighty-four when Makoto gets sick. 

The doctors say he's too far gone, that he only has about a year. Haruka doesn't want to believe them. He doesn't want to live without Makoto. He can't live without Makoto. 

"Haruka?" 

Haruka looks up from the book he's reading at Makoto's bedside. "Makoto? Do you need anything?" 

Makoto smiles gently. "Come up onto the bed." 

Haruka shakes his head. "Makoto, you're too weak. I don't want you to get worse."

Makoto gives Haruka his best puppy eyes. "Please, Haru-chan?" 

Haruka sighes but closes his book. He carefully gets onto the bed and lies next to Makoto, gently rubbing his thumb across the youngers cheek. 

"How are Nagisa and Rei?" Makoto asks. 

"They're good. They're visiting Setsuko and her kids this weekend." Haruka answers. He knows the answer. He's answered it twice already. 

"And Rin and Sousuke?" 

Haruka doesn't have the heart to remind Makoto that Sousuke died two years before again. 

"They're well. Jiro is visiting them with his family." Haruka lies. He feels bad for lying, but he can't help it. 

"I'm glad." Makoto smiles. "Where are Toru and Madoka?" 

"They've already visisted today, remember?" Haruka asks gently. Toru had married a woman named Toshiko, and Madoka had married a kind man named Hideyoshi, or Hide. They both are fifty-two now, and have children and grand-children of their own.  

"Oh, they have?" Makoto looks upset. He's aware he has memory issues, he just doesn't know the extent of it. 

Haruka kisses his forehead. "It's okay. You did very well while they were here. Suki-chan came with Madoka. She sang with you for a little while." 

Makoto looks down. "I'm sorry. I don't remember..." 

"Makoto, it's alright. Don't apologize for things you can't control." Haruka says softly. 

"Okay." Makoto sighs. 

He and Haruka lay there for a long time, just enjoying each other's company.

"Haruka?"

"Makoto? Do you need anything?"

"How are Nagisa and Rei?"

Haruka's heart is breaking inside, but he smiles faintly anyway.

"They're good. They're visiting Setsuko and her kids this weekend."

They're eighty-four when Haruka's heart starts breaking, and Makoto can't fix it.

 

* * *

 

They're eighty-five when Makoto's memory is so far gone, he can only remember Haruka.

Even saying he remembers Haruka is an understatement. He remembers how close they are, but he forgets that they've been married for sixty-one years. He gets confused when he sees his wedding ring, asking who he was lucky enough to marry. Haruka will then show him his matching ring, and Makoto smiles, saying that he's glad he caught Haruka before anyone else did.

Their children come to visit often. Toru and Madoka never voice it, but Haruka can tell it breaks their hearts when their Papa doesn't recognize them. Makoto is friendly enough, but whenever they leave, Makoto turns to Haruka, and says that the boys must have had the wrong room, but they seemed so urgent that he would listen to them all the same.

Ran and Ren come to visit their older brother. Every so often, he'll remember that he has younger siblings, but he never remembers that it's Ran and Ren. Haruka can see the sad looks on their faces whenever Makoto asks them who they are.

Today is a Sunday, so that means that it's just Haruka and Makoto together for the morning. Haruka lives for the moments he's alone with his husband, even if his husband can't remember that he's married.

Haruka gulps when Makoto is looking at his left hand, confused. He already knows what conversation is going to happen.

"Haru-chan? Why am I wearing a wedding ring? Who was I lucky enough to marry?" Makoto asks.

And so Haruka gets up from his chair and gives his hand to Makoto. "We're married, Makoto. We've been married for sixty-one years."

"Oh." Makoto blinks. Then he smiles. "I'm glad I caught you before anyone else did." 

Haruka gives him a small smile. "I'm glad for that too." 

Makoto is quiet for a moment before saying, "If we're married, that means we can cuddle, right?" 

Haruka thinks for a moment before he nods. "I suppose so.? 

"Will you come onto the bed, Haru-chan? I'm cold." 

Haruka complies, cuddling up to Makoto, listening to his heart. 

"How long have we been married?" 

"Sixty-one years." Haruka repeats. 

"That's nice. I'm happy you didn't get tired of me." Makoto grins. 

Haruka kisses Makoto on the cheek. "As if I could ever get tired of you." he says softly. 

"Do we have any kids?" 

"Yes. We have two boys. Toru and Madoka." 

Makoto smiles again. "I'm glad. Am I a good father?" 

Haruka nods. "The best of any father there ever was." 

"I'm sure you're a much better father than me. Haru-chan is the best at everything. Do you still swim, Haru-chan?" 

Haruka can't tell Makoto that he lost the use of his legs when he was sixty. "Yes, sometimes." 

"That's good. You were always the best in the water, Haru-chan." Makoto kisses Haruka's forehead. 

A tear makes it's way down Haruka's cheek. Makoto looks frightened. 

"Haru-chan, why are you crying? Are you alright?" he asks worriedly. 

Haruka nods, burrowing his face into Makoto's chest. "Yes." He looks up. "Makoto, don't ever leave me." 

Makoto kisses him again. "I'll always be with you, Haruka." 

They stay like that the rest of the day and fall asleep, Haruka wrapped in Makoto's arms. 

They're eighty-five when Makoto doesn't wake up again. 

 

* * *

 

 

He's ninety-six when he's bed-bound. 

It's been eleven years since Makoto passed away. Haruka has been an emotional wreck ever since. He hasn't smiled a true smile since the day his beloved had died. 

He had a large support network. Rin is still around, as was Nagisa. Rei had passed five years after Makoto. The three depend on each other and kept each other company and comfort each other over the loss of their husbands. Ran and Ren visit once a month, and Toru and Madoka visit with the grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. 

Overall, his memory stayed. He has not faced the same issues Makoto had. He can remember nearly everything from his later childhood and up. 

His favourite visitor is his great-great-grandson, whom Madoka's daughter had borne and named Makoto. The little boy is now six years old, and he is the spitting image of his husband from when they were children. He was a kind little boy who would sit and listen as Haruka told him stories. 

He felt somewhat weaker today, but pushed the thought aside when there was a soft knocking on the door. 

"Grandpa, it's Makoto." a small voice comes from the other side. 

"Come in." Haruka says gently. 

The little boy enters quietly and closes the door. Haruka gives him a small smile. "Come up onto the bed so I can see you." 

Makoto carefully crawls onto the bed and hugs Haruka gently. "I've missed you." 

"I've missed you too. How are your swim lessons going?" Haruka asks. 

Makoto's eyes brighten. "I was too scared to put my face under, so Kuga-sensei taught me how to do the backstroke!" 

Haruka could almost cry. This little boy could actually be a living replica of his husband. 

"Grandpa? Why do you look so sad? I don't like it when you're sad." Makoto worries, hugging Haruka again. 

"I'm fine. Have I ever told you about your other great-great-grandpa, Makoto?" Haruka says. 

The little boy shakes his head, listening intently. 

"You're named after him. He passed away a few years before you were born. He did the backstroke too. You look just like him," Haruka says quietly. 

Makoto's eyes widen. "Really?" 

Haruka nods with a smile. "Yes! He was strong too, and he was the kindest person I've ever known." 

"Can you tell me more about him?" Makoto asks quietly, eyes wide. 

Haruka complies, telling little Makoto all about his husband. Soon enough, the boy's curiosity is satisfied. 

"Makoto, can you go get me some water? Have your Grandpa Madoka bring it in." Haruka says softly. 

"Okay, Grandpa!" Makoto says, eager to please. 

"Makoto, you're going to do great things. I love you very much, my child." Haruka speaks, hugging the child. 

"I love you too, Grandpa!" Makoto says, earnest. He hugs Haruka back and crawls off the bed. 

Haruka smiles, lays back, and closes his eyes. A few breaths more, and the world around him is wisked away. 

* * *

 

Haruka wakes and blinks a few times. Whatever room he is in, it is far too bright for his liking. He sits up slowly and looks at his hands. They are not as wrinkled as they had been before. He reaches up to his head and plucks a strand of hair, and sees that it is black. He tests his legs carefully, and finds he can use them once more. 

He stands slowly and looks around, eyes falling on a green figure before him. His eyes water. 

"Makoto!" 

He runs towards the figure and Makoto's kind face and smile come into view. He flings himself into the taller mans arms and burrows into his chest, hugging him close, tears running down his face. 

"Haru-chan! Oh, Haruka, I've missed you so much!" Makoto's voice washes over him, and Haruka cannot stop the tears. "Hush, it's alright now, Haru-chan, I'm here now." 

"Idiot!" Haruka sobs. "You left me alone!" 

"I'm sorry," Makoto says softly, rubbing Haruka's back. "I tried to hold on as long as I could." 

"Don't do it again." Haruka growls lowly. "Or I'll punch you." 

Makoto laughs. "I promise, Haru-chan. You'll never be alone again. I'm here, Rei's here, Sousuke-san is here, my parents, your parents-" 

"Is Granny here?" Haruka asks, breath stolen away from him. 

Makoto nods and smiles. "She's been looking foreward to seeing you." 

Haruka feels a fresh wave of tears spark. Makoto wipes them away. "Don't cry, Haru-chan. It's okay." 

And so Haruka takes a hold of Makoto's hand, and the two begin to walk to where everyone is waiting. Their love is timeless. A soft breeze blows around them. 

"Welcome home, Haru-chan." 

"I'm home, Makoto." 

**Author's Note:**

> So yes, the SouHaru fic will be updated soon. I hope you enjoyed this! 
> 
> Sorry for editing so much! Finding mistakes and they're making me anxious. Thank you for reading!


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